The Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) delayed a decision Tuesday on where Entergy will build a 150-mile high-voltage transmission line, a project meant to supply electricity to Houston’s fast-growing suburbs.
After hours of arguments in Austin, commissioners said they will revisit the issue at their October meeting, leaving landowners and local officials in limbo.
EN ESPANOL: PUC retrasa decisión sobre líneas eléctricas de Entergy en Lake Livingston y Willis
Commissioner signals preference but holds off vote
PUC Chair Thomas Gleeson indicated he is leaning toward a proposal that would route the line across Lake Livingston. “I’m still not prepared to make a decision. I will say for me, I think this comes down to 10 and 10 Mod D,” Gleeson said during the hearing. His comments drew strong reactions from communities both north and south of the lake.
Willis residents: homes and barns at risk
In Montgomery County, residents in Willis say one version of the project would devastate their neighborhood.“We’re all losing property. We’re frustrated by this process,” one homeowner said.
George Webster, another Willis resident, told KPRC 2 the plan would run directly over his house. “It’s ridiculous… We have four neighbors, and it would wipe out our community.”
Other residents argued they never received proper notice about the project and were left without a fair chance to intervene. “They didn’t get a letter and the notification of this has been horrific,” said Grant Darnell.
Lake Livingston concerns: water supply and safety
Lake Livingston is one of the largest reservoirs in Texas and supplies nearly 70 percent of Houston’s drinking water. City officials and the Trinity River Authority (TRA), which owns and operates the lake, oppose any route that requires towers to be built in the reservoir.
“TRA opposes any route… that would result in the transmission lines crossing across and above Lake Livingston because the additional piers and support structures needed for the proposed project would create obstacles and public safety threats that currently do not exist,” said Benny Fogelman, a TRA board member.
Opponents also point to environmental concerns. State health agencies have previously identified dioxins and PCBs in the lakebed sediment, leading to warnings against eating certain fish from the lake. Some residents fear construction could stir up those contaminants and affect water quality for millions.
Entergy’s position
Entergy representatives told commissioners the project is necessary to improve reliability across Southeast Texas. Company attorney Everett Britt said the utility looked forward to answering questions but reserved most of its comments for closing. Officials emphasized the line would help meet growing demand in Montgomery, Walker, Polk, Trinity and surrounding counties.
Entergy has argued the proposed routes are all technically feasible and buildable, and company witnesses testified that routing decisions weighed factors such as cost, environmental impact, and the number of homes affected.
What’s next
The PUC will revisit the case in October. Until then, both sides are preparing additional filings and briefs. Willis families want commissioners to block any route that carves through their homes. Houston leaders and the Trinity River Authority continue pressing against a lake crossing.
For now, the decision that could reshape communities from Willis to Lake Livingston is still unresolved.